Adjustable table legs



May 22, 1956 R. T. coPENHAvl-:R 2,746,822

ADJUSTABLE TABLE LEGS Filed Feb. 2l, 1955 INVENTOR. @oy 7. apeffm/ef' ADJUSTABLE TABLE LEGS Roy T. Copenhaver, Kansas City, Kans. Application February 21, 1955, Serial No. 489,432

1 Claim. (Cl. 311-39) This invention relates to furniture construction and, more particularly, to improvements in supporting legs for tables and other articles of furniture.

The most important object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable, extensible leg structure for tables by means of which the table top or other bearing surface may be raised or lowered as desired.

A further important object of the present invention is the provision of lock means on the extensible leg structure for holding the latter positively in any one of several adjusted positions.

Other objectives of the present invention relate to the provision of spring means interconnecting partially telescoped sections of the leg structure for holding the latter yieldably biased in one position; the provision of openings in one of the tubes for receiving a projection on the other tube and thereby holding the leg structure in an adjusted position; and other, more minor improvements which will become apparent in the specification that follows and from a study of the appended drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a table construction provided with the leg structure of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional View taken on line Il-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional View similar to Figure 2 and showing the telescoped sections in the extended position.

Figure 4 is a horizontal, sectional view taken on line IV-lV of Figure 3 g and Figure 5 is a fragmentary, vertical, `sectional view of a modification of the leg structure of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like numerals indicate similar parts, there is illustrated a table top to which is attached, in depending and supporting relationship, a number of extensible legs 12 made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

Each leg 12 includes a pair of partially telescoped, relatively slidable, tubular sections 14 and 16. The inner tube 14 is attached, in a manner not shown, to the top 10 and is provided at its lowermost end with a projection 18. In Figures 1-4, projection 18 takes the form of a screw threaded into an opening in tube 14. Outer tube 16 is provided, intermediate its ends, with a longitudinal slot 20 clearing the projection 18 so that the tubes 14 and 16 are relatively slidable through the length of slot 20. At spaced intervals therealong, slot 20 is offset, as at 22, to present openings for receiving the projection 18 when the leg 12 is extended and for holding tubes 14 and 16 adjustably extended.

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At its lowermost end, tube 16 has the usual plug 24 to which is attached one end of a spring 26, the latter being secured, at its opposite end, to a transverse pin 28 in upper tube 14. Spring 26 serves to bias tubes 14 and 16 to the position shown in Figure 2 whereas the tubes 14 and 16 are shown extended, in Figure 3, against the bias of spring 26 and held in an extended position by the engagement of projection 18 Within the upper oifset 22 of slot 20.

It is obvious that, when tubes 14 and 16 are in the position of Figure 3, the top 10 is in the raised position shown by dotted lines in Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 5, there is illustrated a modified form of the present invention including tubes 114 and 116, the latter being telescoped Within the upper tube 114. Tubes 114 and 116 have inwardly extending, longitudinal creases 115 and 117 respectively which t complementally to present a guide for maintaining the tubes 114 and 116 against relative rotation. Tube 114 is provided with a longitudinal series of spaced openings formed, at spaced intervals, in the crease 115 and which receive a projection 118 when in alignment therewith. Projection 118 is on one end of an elongated spring arm which is attached, at its opposite end, to the tube 116 therewithin. Tube 116 also has a single opening 122 in crease .117 and clearing the projection 118.

As projection 118 is pushed out 0f an opening 120, the tubes 114 and 116 may be moved relatively until projection 118 is in alignment with another opening 120 at which time spring arm 130 urges projection 118 through the new opening 120 and locks the tubes 114 and 116 in the newly adjusted position.

While but two preferred forms illustrating the prnciples of the instant invention have been shown and described, it is to be appreciated that many details of construction may be changed or modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention and it is, therefore, desired to be limited only by the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

In a table construction having a plurality of extensible legs, each of said legs comprising an elongated tubular section having a threaded opening therein; an elongated tubular sleeve slidably mounted on the section and having a longitudinally extending slot therein, said slot being laterally offset at spaced intervals therealong; a screw shiftably threaded in said opening and extending through the slot for sliding movement therein; and a spring interconnecting the section and the sleeve for biasing the sleeve toward the uppermost end of its path of travel.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 928,312 Lloyd July 20, 1909 958,800 Gibbins May 24, 1910 1,093,274 Lancaster Apr. 14, 1914 1,838,352 Anderson Dec. 29, 1931 2,185,948 Pimm Jan. 2, 1940 2,378,852 James June 19, 1945 2,548,648 Booth Apr. l0, 1951 2,628,142 Dubach Feb. 10, 1953 2,667,391 Keal Jan. 26, 1954 

